Murder, kidnapping, treason, any sex offense against a
child, and any forgery regardless of the penalty provided: : No limit
Murder, kidnapping, treason, any sex offense against a
child, and any forgery regardless of the penalty provided: : No limit
Attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit murder;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit kidnapping;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit treason;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any sex
offense against a child; and attempt, conspiracy, or
solicitation to commit any forgery regardless of the
penalty provided: : No limit
Vehicular homicide, except as described in paragraph
accident that resulted in the death of a person: : Five years
Other felonies: : Three years
Misdemeanors: : Eighteen months
Class 1 and 2 misdemeanor traffic offenses: : One year
Petty offenses: : Six months
(1) (a) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(a) is effective March 1, 2022. ] Except as otherwise provided by statute applicable to specific offenses, delinquent acts, or circumstances, no adult person or juvenile shall be prosecuted, tried, or punished for any offense or delinquent act unless the indictment, information, complaint, or petition in delinquency is filed in a court of competent jurisdiction or a summons and complaint or penalty assessment notice is served upon the defendant or juvenile within the period of time after the commission of the offense or delinquent act as specified below:
Murder, kidnapping, treason, any sex offense against a
child, and any forgery regardless of the penalty provided: : No limit
Attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit murder;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit kidnapping;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit treason;
attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any sex
offense against a child; and attempt, conspiracy, or
solicitation to commit any forgery regardless of the
penalty provided: : No limit
Vehicular homicide, except as described in subsection
(1)(a.5) of this section; leaving the scene of an
accident that resulted in the death of a person: : Five years
Other felonies: : Three years
Misdemeanors: : Eighteen months
Class 1 and 2 misdemeanor traffic offenses: : One year
Petty offenses and civil infractions: : Six months
(4.5) The period within which a prosecution must be commenced begins to run upon discovery of the criminal act or the delinquent act for:
(I) Charged as a felony under section 18-3-403, C.R.S., as said section existed prior to July 1, 2000, or section 18-3-404, C.R.S.; or
(II) Charged as criminal attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of the offenses specified in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a.3).
(I) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2016.)
(II) Under section 18-3-403, C.R.S., as said section existed prior to July 1, 2000; or
(III) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2016.)
Source: L. 72: R&RE, p. 218, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 39-5-401. L. 75: (5) added, p. 608, § 1, effective May 15. L. 81: (1) amended, p. 890, § 2, effective July 1; (5) amended, p. 1879, § 1, effective July 1. L. 82: (6) and (7) added, p. 314, § 2, effective July 1; (1)(b) amended, p. 655, § 4, effective January 1, 1983. L. 85: (1)(b) repealed, p. 1359, § 8, effective June 28; (6) amended, p. 616, § 5, effective July 1. L. 87: (1)(a) amended, p. 1495, § 4, effective July 1; (6) and (7) amended and (8) and (9) added, p. 618, § 1, effective July 1. L. 89: (1)(a) amended, p. 827, § 34, effective July 1. L. 90: (1)(a) amended, p. 985, § 6, effective April 24. L. 91: (10) added, p. 646, § 3, effective May 29; (1)(a) amended and (4.5) added, p. 403, § 3, effective June 6. L. 92: (4.5) amended, p. 400, § 7, effective June 3. L. 93: (6) and (8) amended, p. 1726, § 4, effective July 1. L. 94: (6) and (7) amended, p. 1049, § 3, effective July 1. L. 95: (2) amended, p. 462, § 1, effective July 1. L. 98: (4.5) amended and (11) added, p. 156, § 2, effective July 1; (10) amended, p. 819, § 17, effective August 5. L. 2000: (12) added, p. 454, § 10, effective April 24; (6) and (8)(a)(I) amended, p. 710, § 47, effective July 1. L. 2001: Entire section amended, p. 730, § 2, effective July 1; (8)(a) amended and (8)(a.5) added, p. 1057, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2002: (8)(a) amended and (8)(a.3) added, p. 1127, § 1, effective June 3. L. 2003: (3) amended, p. 973, § 4, effective April 17; (4) amended, p. 1325, § 1, effective July 1; (4.5)(r) to (4.5)(u) amended, p. 1209, § 19, effective July 1. L. 2006: (1)(a), (1)(c), (6), (7), (8)(a), (8)(a.3), and (8)(a.5) amended and (1.5) added, p. 410, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2009: (1)(a) amended, (HB 09-1081), ch. 302, p. 1609, § 1, effective July 1; (4.5)(m.5) added, (SB 09-093), ch. 326, p. 1738, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2013: IP(4.5) and (4.5)(t) amended and (4.5)(u) repealed, (SB 13-154), ch. 282, p. 1486, § 64, effective July 1; (4.5)(u) and (4.5)(v) amended and (4.5)(w) added, (SB 13-229), ch. 272, p. 1427, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2014: (1)(a) amended and (1)(a.5) added, (SB 14-213), ch. 344, p. 1535, § 2, effective July 1; (8)(a.5) and (8)(b) amended, (SB 14-059), ch. 58, p. 260, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2016: (6), (8)(a), (8)(a.3), and (8)(a.5) amended and (8)(a.7) added, (HB 16-1260), ch. 363, p. 1514, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2017: (4.5)(v) and (4.5)(w) amended and (4.5)(x) added, (HB 17-1048), ch. 68, p. 215, § 2, effective August 9. L. 2018: (4.5)(b) amended, (HB 18-1200), ch. 379, p. 2292, § 3, effective August 8. L. 2020: (4.5)(w) and (4.5)(x) amended and (4.5)(aa) added, (HB 20-1014), ch. 238, p. 1156, § 6, effective September 14; (4.5)(w) and (4.5)(x) amended and (4.5)(y) and (4.5)(z) added, (HB 20-1148), ch. 100, p. 388, § 3, effective September 14. L. 2021: (1)(c)(I), (1)(c)(II), and (1)(c)(III) amended, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 712, § 22, effective October 1; (1)(a) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3163, § 172, effective March 1, 2022.
Cross references: For the "Uniform Commercial Code", see title 4.